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Graphic: Animal death, Death, Gun violence, Physical abuse, Torture, Violence, Blood, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Child death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexual content, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Terminal illness, Vomit, Medical trauma, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Minor: Alcoholism, Chronic illness, Cursing, Drug abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Excrement, Dementia, Trafficking, Abortion, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment
Graphic: Child death, Rape, Torture, Violence
Minor: Racial slurs
Minor: Gun violence, Racism, Rape, Torture, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal death, Racial slurs, Racism, Torture, Violence, Alcohol, Colonisation
Moderate: Death, Rape, Sexual violence, Injury/Injury detail
Of course I couldn't help but think of Taylor Sheridan's 1883, especially given both journeys are to end in Yellowstone. It's also just as littered with tragedy and sorrow.
I can see why people would gravitate toward this book. A lot to ponder and lots to discuss to consider regardless of where you land on the political spectrum. I can see people claiming the book represents all sorts of ideas and ideals. I suppose that's what makes this book brilliant.
I shall probably not read the other three. This book was exhausting!
Graphic: Ableism, Animal death, Body horror, Bullying, Child death, Death, Domestic abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Hate crime, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Blood, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Suicide attempt, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Fire/Fire injury, Abandonment, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Dysphoria, War, Injury/Injury detail
This book was brutal. It plots along and ends in such a hollow place you can't even cry. I feel angry at it because I don't understand the point but that's just it. Sometimes you don't and I'm choked up now for all the tragedy and horror and pointlessness of it all. There was beauty in spots and the journey felt so alive at the end but each death was blunt and brutal and shocking. You couldn't love them for they were so flawed but how could you hate them? It felt like a journey of life with patches that felt stable and understandable torn into pieces in moments.
If I had more of an inkling I'd talk about the brutalist poetic prose or the moral complexity or the hostorical lens but I feel so emptied out by the story that I don't want to anymore. I was so hooked that I couldn't be bothered to stop and write and now here I am without the desire.
If that doesn't say something about Lonesome Doce I don't know what will.
P. S. The pigs were my favorite part
Graphic: Addiction, Adult/minor relationship, Alcoholism, Animal death, Child abuse, Death, Domestic abuse, Gun violence, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Slavery, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Toxic relationship, Violence, Blood, Vomit, Trafficking, Kidnapping, Grief, Religious bigotry, Stalking, Abortion, Death of parent, Murder, Pregnancy, Abandonment, Sexual harassment, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Moderate: Infidelity, Sexism, Suicidal thoughts, Excrement, Police brutality, Fire/Fire injury, Gaslighting, War
Minor: Ableism, Drug use
The book follows Texas rangers Call and Augustus as they decide to make money driving cattle to Montana, across risky terrain full of bandits, wild animals, rivers and dry plains. Larry McMurtry takes great care in fleshing out the contrasting personalities of the two main characters, as well as their moments of heroism and loss. The fight scenes, especially, were so well imagined, and make your heart race.
What held me back was how one-dimensional the secondary characters were, particularly how Native Americans and women were portrayed. Violent or starved, a whore or a mother. And I don't think this was done in any kind of pursuasive way, it was just convenient to stereotype, and serve as ornamental means to manhood.
Nevertheless, you'll enjoy this if you're in the mood for adventurous plots, a large cast of characters, and rooting for heroes. Please consider the content warnings, too.
Graphic: Animal cruelty, Animal death, Child death, Cursing, Death, Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Gore, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Suicidal thoughts, Torture, Violence, Blood, Excrement, Vomit, Kidnapping, Grief, Murder, Pregnancy, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Animal death, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Grief, Murder, Injury/Injury detail
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Animal death, Death, Genocide, Gun violence, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Racial slurs, Racism, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Slavery, Torture, Violence, Xenophobia, Kidnapping, Murder, Colonisation, Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Addiction, Alcoholism, Body shaming, Child death, Fatphobia, Toxic relationship, Blood, Pregnancy, Alcohol
Moderate: Animal death, Child death, Death, Gun violence, Misogyny, Racial slurs, Rape, Sexual assault, Torture, Violence, Kidnapping, Murder, Injury/Injury detail